


Yin and Yang

by ami_ven



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Community: writerverse, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-06-02 08:12:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6558925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You’re wondering, too, aren’t you?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Yin and Yang

**Author's Note:**

> written for LJ community "writerverse" prompt "pizzazz"

“You’re wondering, too, aren’t you?” said Phil, as Steve helped him carry the dirty dishes back into the kitchen after dinner.

It was Tony who had asked, in his usual borderline-offensive way, how a carnie-turned-assassin and a paper-pushing suit— his words— had not only ended up together, but worked out so well. Phil chose to take that as a sort of twisted compliment, especially once Clint had distracted him by starting to explain the more physical aspects of how they fit— and Tony had hurriedly changed the subject. But Steve had looked between them for a long moment, a thoughtful expression on his face, before he let Tony pull him back into the conversation.

Now, Steve began sorting the leftovers into containers to go into the fridge, that same thoughtful look back again. “I wouldn’t have phrased it like that,” he admitted, “but I am a little curious. You and Clint are very private people. I probably wouldn’t have noticed anything at all if we didn’t all live here and I only saw you at work, so I guess I am wondering how that happened.”

Phil smiled. “Old habits, I’m afraid. We try to keep it professional at work— for a certain definition of ‘professional’ for certain archers, of course— and until now, we were at work more often than not. And it’s not as interesting a story as you might think.”

“Aw, c’mon, sir,” said Clint, from the kitchen island where he had _not_ been sitting a moment ago. “You shot me.”

“You didn’t,” Steve protested, horrified, then frowned. “Did you?”

“I did,” said Phil, with a soft smile. “A graze, to keep Clint from running. Not that I knew he was Clint. He was just Hawkeye, then.”

“The _Amazing_ Hawkeye,” Clint corrected.

Phil ignored him. “There were half a dozen of us on that op. It was my first as the lead agent, and while some people perfected their craft wearing sequined spandex—”

“You promised never to mention that,” said Clint, and was ignored again.

“—I had trained very hard to blend in, to be just another government suit.”

“We’ve never thought of you like that,” protested Steve.

Phil smiled. “You did when we first met. Mostly, because I wanted you to. It’s a great advantage.”

“It still doesn’t seem right,” said Steve. “And that doesn’t explain…”

“Our secret burning love?” suggested Clint.

“It’s hardly a secret,” said Phil. “Just, not entirely obvious. And the answer to your actual, original question is that he saw me.”

Steve looked between them again. “That’s it?”

Clint grinned. “We saw each other,” he corrected. “Phil didn’t see me as a threat to be taken out, he saw someone worth saving. He could have made the kill-shot, when he hit me, but he wanted to give me the chance.”

“And Clint,” added Phil, “saw me. There were three experienced specialists on our team, and the other two agents were both older than me. But Clint knew that I was the one in charge.”

“You mean, I knew you were a total badass,” put in Clint. “But after that, yeah, there’s not much to tell. We worked together, we got to be friends, we got to be more than friends, we moved in with Tony Stark who asks inappropriate questions.”

Steve laughed. “He means well. Probably.”

“It’s just,” Clint said, more seriously, “me and Phil, it’s like yin and yang, you know? He makes me better, makes me _want_ to be better, and I hope I do the same for him.”

Phil rested a hand on his knee. “You do, Clint,” he said, then smiled at Steve. “Not every relationship has to have fireworks.”

“It does when you’re with Tony,” said Steve, but he was smiling, too.

THE END


End file.
